Last updated on December 17, 2023
The Law Enforcement Epidemiology Project of the University of Illinois Chicago recently released shocking statistics regarding police shootings and violence in the United States. Their investigation found that over 1 million people in our country experience threats or pressure from law enforcement annually. The significance of these actions becomes evident when considering that over 250,000 civilians are injured and 600 are killed by the police annually. However, other democracies have notably lower rates. England and Wales had 3 fatal police shootings last year and 69 individuals were killed by law enforcement in Canada. This comparative begs the question: what factors make the United States police force unique to our country?
Decentralization
A report from the Department of Justice outlines that, unlike other nations with a national approach and guidelines, the United States has over 18,000 local departments with the authority to create their policies and standards for training. This decentralization contributes to inconsistent protocols across the country. A national standard is needed to implement reforms and ensure accountability on a broader scale. Alex Murray, a commander in London’s Metropolitan Police speaking for a Freakonomics podcast, discusses the potential advantages of centralized forces. He asserts centralization allows for consistent training requirements and conventional operating practices. While in the United States, numerous departments have fewer than ten officers, the United Kingdom has 43 departments, with each police force having over 1,000 officials. A centralized system has been proven effective for reforms and implementing national standards.
Training Disparities
A 2018 United States Department of Justice study discovered that the average training period for a law enforcement officer is around 833 hours, which equates to less than 22 weeks. In comparison, Japan requires that officials train for 1-2 years minimum. In China and Germany, police receive between 2-2.5 years of training. In Norway, education for officers can last up to 3 years. The Police Executive Research Forum shows that these other nations are vastly different from our country. Their comprehensive study found that United States police departments spend very little capital on training their officers and place less of a priority on education, a concept valued by other nations. However, the education received by officers emphasizes weapons and potential tactics to use rather than developing necessary communication skills and problem-solving abilities. These police academies train officers to become soldiers when their responsibility is to assist the public and safeguard freedom. These boot camps are creating a militarized culture, spreading the common misconception that law enforcement needs to be feared to garner respect.
Large Scope of Responsibility
While it’s perceived that the primary duty of police officers is fighting crime in high-speed chases and catching criminals to save the day, this misconception is far from reality. These officers have numerous responsibilities, including responding to nonemergency and emergency calls, directing traffic stops, providing support services to communities, conducting searches and applying for warrants, policing neighborhoods or assigned areas, and enforcing laws. Police officers have a countless number of duties, which causes problems. For instance, according to the American Action Forum, over 143,000 unhoused people reported being arrested for something related to homelessness. This includes living in parked vehicles or lying in public areas. When these individuals require assistance or call for help, they’re met with law enforcement who aren’t sufficiently trained in emotional and social support and are heavily militarized, which isn’t as welcoming to their needs. However, social workers, for example, are already being looked into with smaller community-based programs responding to nonemergency calls specially trained with the necessary skills for assisting the unhoused. Another solution advocates are viewing is using artificial intelligence for traffic stops, which is the most common encounter between law enforcement and civilians. These techniques can mitigate potential escalation and limit the multitude of responsibilities these officers have.
Overall, the issues within America’s policing system bring the concept of reform to the front lines. From centralization and creating consistent standards to addressing training deficiencies, changes are necessary. Only by implementing such measures can the United States adopt a policing model that addresses societal needs, while upholding public safety and justice.
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